Mom of slain teen asks prayers for New Haven, sympathizes with suspects’ parents

Two mothers plea for peace after 3 charged in killing

Published 5:52 pm, Friday, July 17, 2015

Photo: Ryan Flynn — New Haven Register

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The family of Torrence “TJ” Gamble gathers at a press conference Friday morning. Police Chief Dean Esserman is at the lectern.

The family of Torrence “TJ” Gamble gathers at a press conference Friday morning. Police Chief Dean Esserman is at the lectern.

Photo: Ryan Flynn — New Haven Register

Mom of slain teen asks prayers for New Haven, sympathizes with suspects’ parents

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NEW HAVEN >> Two mothers, both mourning a slain teenage son, said they empathize with an unlikely source: the parents of their sons’ alleged killers.

Two juveniles from New Haven and a Milford man were arrested this week in the killing of Torrence “TJ” Gamble.

“It’s comfort, it’s a relief, but it’s not a victory to us,” said Adrienne Carmin, Gamble’s birth mother. “Just like we lost a loved one, the (alleged killers’) families are losing loved ones as well. So, I ask that you just pray for the city of New Haven.”

Gamble, 16, was found on April 3, 2014, with a gunshot wound to the head. Police had responded to the area of 78 Daggett St. after multiple reports of gunshots and found Gamble unresponsive at the scene. He was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Gamble was a student at New Haven’s Riverside Academy.

Carmin spoke about the slaying, as did the woman who raised Gamble.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the three boys,” said Sheena Campbell-Maebry. “I pray that the young men in our community and elsewhere will see that senseless violence and killing must stop. Our 16-year-old son TJ is gone from this earth forever. When convicted, the lives of the three boys will be over, as well.”

Arrest warrants obtained by Detective Michael Wuchek were served late Monday and early Tuesday. A juvenile, 17, has been charged with murder in Gamble’s death, and conspiracy to commit murder and carrying a pistol without a permit. The juvenile is being held in lieu of a $1 million bail.

The second juvenile, also 17, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and is being held in lieu of $600,000 bail. John “Whiteboy” Helwig, 22, of Milford, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder and is being held in lieu of a $850,000 bail. Helwig has no adult criminal record.

“The sad part of this is that it was kids, children, our kids,” Carmin said.

Carmin asked that fathers in New Haven teach and love their sons.

“They’re looking for something and they’re not getting it from home,” she said. “They’re out in these streets and these streets are not good for them. I just pray for the families of the culprits.”

Sgt. David Zanelli thanked Wuchek, the lead investigator, the homicide unit detectives, criminal intelligence unit, bureau of identification and state attorney’s office for all the work on the case.